Blessing Israel

Emblem of Jerusalem



Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces."
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say,
"Peace be within you."
Because of the house of the LORD our God
I will seek your good.

- Psalm 122:6-9

On May 14, 1948, sixty one years ago, the State of Israel officially came into being. (Read Israeli Declaration of Statehood/Independence here.)

But not very many people know that The Philippines played a major role in its birth as a state.

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel.

Philippine President Manuel Roxas became part of the history book of Israel when he decided to recognize the country as an independent state. He gave instructions to then Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, Philippine Representative to the U.N., to vote in favor of the independence of Israel. The vote of the Filipino Representative broke the tie between those for and those against Israel's independence. (Information taken from here.)

Another significant step taken by the Philippines to bless Israel was to open our doors and extend a hand of welcome to Jewish refugees in the 1940s. The Philippines was still a commonwealth nation of the United States then. President Manuel Quezon allotted a certain portion in Marikina, a wide area located in suburbs of Manila, to Jews who were looking for a safe haven to escape the Holocaust in Europe at that time.

More than 1,000 Jews fleeing persecution in Nazi Germany found refuge in our country, thanks to President Quezon's "open doors" policy that Israel plans to honor with a monument this month.

The modern structure of three steel doors, frames and marble floor tiles commemorates the "courage, hospitality and the determination" of the Philippines to give humanitarian support for European Jews seeking refuge from the Holocaust, the Israeli Embassy said in a statement on its Web site.

"The warm hospitality of the Filipino people undoubtedly shed light to one of the darkest and most difficult periods in Jewish history," the embassy said.

The "Open Doors" monument, designed by Filipino artist Jun Yee, is scheduled to be unveiled this coming June 21, at the Rishon Lezion Holocaust Park in central Israel.

Taken from news article by Associated Press Writer HRVOJE HRANJSKI

Today, the first of June, was another day of divine appointments for me.

What a privilege it was for me to attend the Jerusalem Global Feast Conference held at the Aranate Coliseum here in Metro Manila.

Scott Holts, a Messianic Jew, spoke on the Filipinos' end time role for the restoration of Israel. He quoted from Isaiah 40:1-2 which says,

"Comfort, yes, comfort My people!"
says your God.
"Speak comfort to Jerusalem
and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned...

Oh how these words touched my heart!

Speak comfort to Jerusalem. Speak tenderly to her. Speak kindly to her.

"They are My people," says God. "Cry out to her!"

And yet what do the nations of the world want to do?

Wipe her out of the face of this world map.

Kill her.

Terrorize her.

Burn her in the gas chambers.

Humiliate her.

Annihilate her.

It doesn't align with God's heart... not at all.

We are to speak comfort to His people, His word tells us.

---0---

Another major part of the conference was the documentary film presentation on the making of the largest Israel and Jerusalem flags by Filipinos!

On April 12, 2009, the world's largest flag was unfurled here in the outskirts of Metro Manila. It was in the design of the Jerusalem flag, measuring 287 by 151 meters, covering a staggering area of over four hectares!

Swaths of yellow, blue and white covered a wide, grassy field in Barangay Pintong Bukawe, Rodriguez town in Rizal as it was unfurled early Saturday morning.

It was difficult and intense work, taking four months day and night non-stop, to complete. Aside from its immense size, the flag had many intricate details. (Taken from ABS-CBN news.)

It was the faith of Grace Gupana, founder of the Halleluyah Prophetic Global Foundation Philippines that led her to do it.

Through this prophetic act, Grace believes that it is a declaration to the whole world that Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and a signal to the kingdom of darkness for the final ingathering of the Jews scattered worldwide and to be ultimately repatriated with their beloved homeland, Israel.

View below the unfurling on April 12, 2009, of the largest Jerusalem flag in the world as of today, June 1, 2009.

May the deep love and commitment of the Filipino people to the end time purposes of the Lord for Israel grip your hearts!